The Spotlight is on Jamila Trimuel, The Lady of Virtue

From the south side of Chicago, Jamila Trimuel is a wife, mentor, social entrepreneur and Tedx speaker who encourages others to pursue purpose at all costs. She is the Founder of Ladies of Virtue, an award-winning mentoring program that has empowered over 1,000 girls to become confident and purpose-driven leaders.

As a Black woman/woman of color, what do you consider your super power to be?

My super power is positivity. This trait allows me to 1) believe that all things are possible despite the circumstances and 2) identify the strengths in my team which keeps them encouraged and motivated.

What thoughtful/encouraging piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

I recently gave a Tedx Talk at Rush University where I identified 5 steps to living a fulfilled life of purpose. I would definitely give this advice to my younger self.

To live a fulfilled life of purpose:

Embrace who you are and know why you are on this earth

Be intentional about aligning your life with your purpose

Keep pressing through obstacles

Prioritize your physical and mental health

Make a contribution to the world

If you could thank any Black woman history maker for her contributions to society, who would it be and why?

Harriet Tubman once said, “I had reasoned this out in my mind; there was one of two things I had a right to, liberty, or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other; for no man should take me alive; I should fight for my liberty as long as my strength lasted, and when the time came for me to go, the Lord would let them take me." I thank Harriet Tubman for her willingness to sacrifice her life for her freedom and the freedom of others. What are we willing to sacrifice to ensure the world is better than we found it? Harriet Tubman is a role model to us all.

What are your thoughts on taking risks? Making mistakes?

I don’t know a successful entrepreneur who hasn’t taken any risks or afraid of making mistakes. My biggest risk to date has been leaving a lucrative 9-5 career for social entrepreneurship but it has also been the most rewarding! I wouldn’t change it for the world. In life, we must take risks and yes, we will make mistakes. But we must not stop there! The key is to learn what worked and didn’t work then keep it moving! Don’t let anything stop you from reaching your goals. Period!

Tell us about your business and why you chose this?

Ladies of Virtue is an award winning mentoring program that has empowered over 1,000 girls, ages 9 – 18, to become confident and purpose-driven leaders. We prepare our girls for leadership through character development, career readiness and civic engagement. Our participants learn from prominent women from a wide variety of industries who share similar backgrounds as our girls. In addition, our sisters interact with mentors who take a hands-on, never give up approach, with the goal of building long-lasting relationships. Also, our girls love to travel! Therefore, we visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. We also toured colleges such as Howard University, Northwestern University, Spelman College, and the University of Illinois in Urbana – Champaign. In 2017, we launched our Global Leadership Experience where some of our girls traveled to Dominican Republic.

I grew up on the south side of Chicago and my dad told me, “You are an African Girl and you can do anything you set your mind to”. College was an expectation but for many of my childhood friends they did not have the same upbringing. Some had fathers who were killed through gun violence and others had moms on drugs. Many did not have positive role models like I had to guide them on their path. My childhood experiences planted a seed that would later blossom into my purpose of mentoring girls from under-resourced communities just like me.

We would love support for our upcoming Leading with Virtue Cocktail Reception on Friday, November 9, 2018. Tickets can be purchased here:

https://www.lovchicago.org/leading-with-virtue-cocktail-recept

What are 3 success habits you implement into your daily routine to maintain your success/sanity/peace of mind, etc.?

First, I take time in prayer to appreciate and thank God where I am now. I am not where I want to be but I am certainly not where I used to be and for that I am grateful. Often times, we can get so caught up with our goals that we totally disregard the progress we have made.

Second, I document my major accomplishments and place them in a jar throughout the year.

Third, I not only reflect on my accomplishments daily but on every New Year’s eve with my husband as well. Together, we set new goals for the year and encourage each other along the way.